Arrie Burrows

Arrie Burrows was born in 1948 in Grootkloof. He has lived in Clanwilliam and Malmesbury for most of his life.

Arrie Burrows speaks about living in Malmesbury, and his various jobs. Being an avid cricket and rugby player, he enjoyed living in Malmesbury as he was a member of many teams. Arrie Burrows shares some memories of his time in Malmesbury.

Arrie Burrows was born in 1948 in Grootkloof. He worked in the Clanwilliam hospital and then moved to work in the Swartland hospital in Malmesbury, where he stayed for 19 years. He then went to work at Caltex as a petrol attendant for 15 years, and when it closed down he moved to Shell for 13 years. He retired due to issues with his legs and is now in a wheelchair. In his childhood they frequently went hunting for dassies. Moving to Clanwilliam was difficult for him and he had to quit school due to financial issues. Malmesbury was a better experience and Arrie was an avid rugby and cricket player. He played rugby for the Never Despair team and then the United team. He could not pursue a career in sport as he had to continue to work for money and sport was a full-time commitment. He remembers that 81 runs was his highest score in cricket. Clanwilliam has changed a lot and there used to be less murder than there is today.

I’m Arrie Johannes Burrows, born the 15th of August 1948 in Grootkloof. I previously worked at the Clanwilliam hospital, from there I was transferred to Swartland Hospital, Malmesbury. There I worked as a male nurse. I did 19 years of service at Swartland Hospital. And after I finished at the hospital, with the hospital, retired from there, I came to work at the Caltex garage. I was a petrol pump attendant at the Caltex garage for 15 years, but when the garage closed, I went over to the Shell garage, doing the same work, petrol pump attendant, for 13 years, and there, the job ended there when my two legs were amputated. I couldn’t continue with the work, so I had to leave the work. Then I came back to my house where I’m now still in a wheelchair.

Tell us about your childhood, how was it?

In Grootkloof?

Yes.

In Grootkloof there was, there is a forestry station. We went hunting a lot, game like dassies and (inaudible 02:26), and more. And from there we moved back to Clanwilliam. And there, in Grootkloof, I ended my work.

Tell us what life was like then and how it is today. In Clanwilliam.

Life… it continued there until I came to Clanwilliam. And here in Clanwilliam it was difficult for me. I went to school, but I couldn’t go on because of financial problems. So I left school. But in Malmesbury life was better for me as a male nurse. Met many people there, and there I also started my sport, rugby and cricket. Rugby was actually my big sport. I played for a team, Never Despair. Flyhalf was my position. And so when I later finished with Never Despair, I went to United. And played for United. Until, for United I played flyhalf until I made Swartland Board. For Swartland Board I also played flyhalf. And there me and Oste (?? 04:32) Lategan, also ran out for the Proteas. I would’ve played for the Protea team as well, but I couldn’t because of my work situation, because I had to be on duty when we had to practise. Then Erin Brassima (?? 04:54) said I couldn’t continue like that, I had to play fulltime. Then I left rugby. I also played cricket at Malmesbury. Arcadia. I was a fast bowler and I was a batsman. My most, the most wickets that I took in bowling were six wickets. And the highest score that I made in cricket was 81 runs. That was then the end of my sporting days.

You still remember old stories that people told, don’t you? Can you still remember one or two? That they told. Ghost stories, or…?

Oh golly, no, man. Sorry.

And how is life today compared to how it was?

It, it has changed a lot. Nowadays, in that time there weren’t a lot of knifings, theft, (inaudible 06:25), and suchlike. It has now in recent times decreased a lot. Sometimes there is another case, but it is, it is not as ongoing.